Monarda plant named ‘Allvin’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Monarda  plant named ‘Allvin’, characterized by its upright plant habit; dark green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; rich purple-colored flowers; long flowering period; and good postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Monarda didyma.

Cultivar denomination: ‘ALLVIN’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Monardaplant, botanically known as Monarda didyma, typically grown as a cutflower and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Allvin’.

The new Monarda plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Cuijk, The Netherlands. The objective ofthe breeding program is to create new strong Monarda plants withattractive flowers and good postproduction longevity.

The new Monarda plant originated from an open-pollination in September,2013 of a proprietary selection of Monarda didyma identified as codenumber 28-2013-56-12, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent withan unknown selection of Monarda didyma, as the male, or pollen, parent.The new Monarda plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as asingle flowering plant from within the progeny of the statedopen-pollination grown in a controlled nursery environment in Cuijk, TheNetherlands in September, 2014.

Asexual reproduction of the new Monarda plant by terminal cuttings inCuijk, The Netherlands, since April, 2015 has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Monarda plant are stable and reproduced true totype in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Monarda have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Allvin’. These characteristics incombination distinguish as a new and distinct Monarda plant:

-   -   1. Upright plant habit.    -   2. Dark green-colored leaves.    -   3. Freely flowering habit.    -   4. Rich purple-colored flowers.    -   5. Long flowering period.    -   6. Good postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Monarda differ primarily from plants of the femaleparent selection in leaf texture as leaves of plants of the new Monardaare less pubescent than leaves of plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Monarda can be compared to plants of Monarda didyma‘Allbell’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 27,496. In side-by-sidecomparisons plants of the new Monarda differ from plants of ‘Allbell’ inthe following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Monarda have lighter green-colored leaves        than plants of ‘Allbell’.    -   2. Plants of the new Monarda have lighter green-colored stems        than plants of ‘Allbell’.    -   3. Plants of the new Monarda and ‘Allbell’ differ in flower        color as plants of ‘Allbell’ have red purple-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Monarda plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the actualcolors of the new Monarda plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Allvin’ grown in a 23-cm container.

The photograph at the top of the second sheet is a close-up view of theupper surface of a typical leaf of ‘Allvin’.

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet is a close-up view oftypical inflorescences of ‘Allvin’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during September in an outdoor nurseryin Cuijk, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical ofcommercial Monarda production. During the production of the plants, daytemperatures ranged from 15° C. to 32° C. and night temperatures rangedfrom 12° C. to 20° C. Plants were five months old when the photographsand the description were taken. In the detailed description, colorreferences are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart,2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Monarda didyma ‘Allvin’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Monarda            didyma identified as code number 28-2013-56-12, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Monarda            didyma, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—By terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 10 to 14 days at            temperatures ranging from 12° C. to 30° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four to            six weeks at temperatures ranging from 12° C. to 30° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically white in color,            actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate            composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation,            substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; upright plant            form; moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 96            cm.        -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 104            cm.        -   Plant width.—About 67 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Branching habit: Freely basal            branching habit with about 20 main stems, each main stem            with about eight lateral branches. Length: About 44.4 cm.            Diameter: About 4 mm. Internode length: About 7.8 cm.            Strength: Strong. Aspect: Main stems, upright to about 40°            from vertical; lateral branches, about 30° from main stem            axis. Texture and luster: Moderately pubescent; slightly            glossy. Color: Developing, close to 144B to 144C; fully            developed, close to 144A; at the internodes, close to 144A            tinged with close to 182B.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 8.7 cm.        -   Width.—About 4 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Apex.—Acuminate.        -   Base.—Short attenuate to obtuse.        -   Margin.—Serrate.        -   Texture and luster, upper surface.—Moderately pubescent;            slightly glossy.        -   Texture and luster, lower surface.—Moderately pubescent;            matte.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Fragrance.—Fragrant; somewhat spicy, pleasant.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 143C. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to NN137A; venation,            close to 148B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 147B; venation, close to 148C to 148D.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 1.6 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Strength: Strong. Texture and luster: Densely pubescent;            slightly glossy. Color, upper surface: Close to 144A            strongly tinged with close to N77B. Color, lower surface:            Close to 144C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower form, arrangement and flowering habit.—Single labiate            flowers arranged in terminal globular spikes; flowers face            upright to outwardly; freely flowering habit with about 200            flowers developing per inflorescence and about 25,000            flowers developing per plant during the flowering season;            flowers sessile.        -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering habit, plants            flower from the late spring into September in The            Netherlands.        -   Postproduction longevity.—Good postproduction longevity,            flowers maintain good substance for about 20 days as a cut            flower; flowers not persistent.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.6 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.            Shape: Narrowly oblanceolate; curved. Texture and luster:            Densely pubescent; matte. Color: Close to N79A; towards the            base, close to N79C; immature calyx, close to 187A, fading            towards the base to close to 150D.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 5.6 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 8.4 cm.        -   Flower length (vertical).—About 2 cm.        -   Flower diameter (horizontal).—About 6 mm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 3.7 cm.        -   Petals.—Arrangement: Labiate; upper lip hooded; lower lip, a            single lobe; lips fused 60% of total length. Length, upper            lip: About 3.1 cm. Length, lower lip: About 3.5 cm. Width,            upper lip: About 1.5 mm. Width, lower lip: About 6 mm.            Shape, upper lip: Lanceolate; apex, obtuse. Shape, lower            lip: Oblanceolate; apex, three-parted. Margin, upper and            lower lips: Entire; lower petal, slightly undulate. Texture            and luster, upper and lower lips, upper surface: Smooth,            glabrous; velvety; matte. Texture and luster, upper and            lower lips, lower surface: Moderately pubescent; moderately            velvety; matte. Color, upper lip: When opening and fully            opened, upper surface: Close to N79C; color does not fade            with development. When opening and fully opened, lower            surface: Close to N79C; color does not fade with            development. Color, lower lip: When opening, upper surface:            Close to N79C. When opening, lower surface: Close to N79B to            N79C. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to between NN78A            and N79C; color does not fade with development. Fully            opened, lower surface: Close to N79B to N79C; color does not            fade with development.        -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five in a single whorl;            lower 90% fused into a tubular calyx. Length: About 9 mm.            Width: About 0.8 mm. Apex: Acute. Margin: Free parts,            entire. Texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth and mostly            glabrous; upper margin, moderately pubescent; matte. Texture            and luster, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous; slightly            glossy. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface:            Close to 182D. When opening and fully opened, lower surface:            Close to 187A fading towards the base to close to 150D.        -   Inflorescence bracts.—Quantity and arrangement: About 70 at            the base of inflorescence; smaller upper bracts, about 60 in            number, are arranged in numerous whorls and are subtended by            the larger lower ten bracts arranged in a single whorl.            Length, upper bracts: About 1.3 cm. Length, lower bracts:            About 3.7 cm. Width, upper bracts: About 1 mm. Width, lower            bracts: About 2 cm. Shape, upper bracts: Lanceolate; apex,            apiculate and base, cuneate. Shape, lower bracts: Ovate;            apex, apiculate and base, cuneate. Margin, upper and lower            bracts: Entire. Texture, upper and lower bracts, upper            surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, upper and lower bracts,            lower surface: Sparsely pubescent. Color, upper bracts,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to N77B. Color, lower            bracts, upper surface: Close to NN137A; main vein tinged            with close to 70A. Color, lower bracts, lower surface: Close            to 138A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Two.            Filament length: About 1.8 cm. Filament color: Close to N74C            fading towards the base to close to 73D. Anther size: About            2 mm by 0.5 mm. Anther shape: Narrowly elliptic; dorsifixed.            Anther color: Close to 70A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen            color: Close to 11D. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One.            Pistil length: About 3.6 cm. Stigma diameter: About 0.5 mm.            Stigma shape: Cleft, unequal. Stigma color: Close to N77A.            Style length: About 3.4 cm. Style color: Close to N78B.            Ovary color: Close to 152D.        -   Seed and fruit.—Seed and fruit production have not been            observed on plants of the new Monarda to date.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Monarda not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Monarda    plants to date.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Monarda have exhibited good    tolerance to rain, wind and high temperatures about 40° C. and to be    suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 10.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Monarda plant named ‘Allvin’ asillustrated and described.